Philanthropy

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 24, 2015

Collaboration of New York State philanthropies and community-based groups plan to invest about $500,000 to help young Central American migrants on Long Island receive services; number of unaccompanied minors detained at border has dropped sharply, but communities around country are still struggling to accommodate them. MORE

Feb. 20, 2015

Editorial urges Hillary Rodham Clinton to reinstate Clinton Foundation's ban against foreign contributors in light of her likely nomination as Democratic presidential candidate; holds that reinstatement of ban, which was dropped in 2013, will help protect Clinton's campaign, and possible future presidential administration, from accusations of outside influence and favoritism. MORE

Feb. 7, 2015

Paul Sullivan Wealth Matters column describes how Baker Botts partner Thomas M DiBiagio was given responsibility by unnamed company to disburse millions in ill-gotten gains to charities in order to clear company's books of tainted money; explores regulations that govern such practice, which may be new line of business for corporate law firms. MORE

Feb. 1, 2015

Chuck Klosterman The Ethicist column answers questions about offering letters of reference to someone who is convicted felon and listening to public radio without donating money. MORE

Jan. 27, 2015

David Brooks Op-Ed column extols virtues of 'impact investing,' calling it a socially active form of capitalism that addresses the shortcomings of both the free market and of government; calls on wealthy investors and young people alike to consider investing in an impact fund that suits their social values. MORE

Jan. 25, 2015

Natasha Singer Technophoria column examines new crop of start-ups like EverTrue that are using social media analytics to help colleges identify and court prospective alumni donors. MORE

Jan. 19, 2015

Countess Yoko Nagae Ceschina, little-known but deep-pocketed patron of classical music who helped nurture many of world's best artists and institutions in the field, including New York Philharmonic, dies at age 82. MORE

Jan. 7, 2015

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation online campaign The Art of Saving a Life has commissioned artists to produce works inspired by program to vaccinate children in third world countries in hopes of increased awareness and fundraising. MORE

Jan. 6, 2015

Op-Ed article by journalist Llewellyn Hinkes-Jones opposes the rise of so-called 'venture philanthropy' in the pharmaceutical industry; calls it yet another term for privatizing scientific research; holds trend introduces tax-exempt loophole, allowing organizations to develop drugs on publicly funded research and then sell results to private industry; calls for increased funding to the National Institutes of Health, and for rule that would prevent venture philanthropists from obtaining exclusive patent rights. MORE

Dec. 27, 2014

Common Cents, program that conducts annual Penny Harvest fundraising drives to raise money for New York City schools, is on brink of shutting down for second year in a row due to financial difficulties; program has raised $10 million for schools since it was founded. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

Comedian Margaret Cho gives nine performances around San Francisco to raise money and collect clothing donations for homeless; was inspired by charity work of friend Robin Williams, who recently committed suicide. MORE

Dec. 21, 2014

Nicholas Kristof Op-Ed column asks his readers to take a moment during the holiday season to celebrate those philanthropists who have spread the life-changing gift of a university education to young men and women around the globe; praise in particular the Haitian Education and Leadership Program, or HELP, that has sent hundreds of students on to universities, giving Haiti itself hope for a bright future. MORE

Dec. 11, 2014

Auto dealership magnate Norman Braman and wife Irma plan to fund design and construction of Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, South Florida's newest major museum; opening is timed for Art Basel Miami Beach in December 2016, and is poised to be a cultural game changer in city already crowded with four significant private museums. MORE

Dec. 10, 2014

Donor-advised funds help investors get deductions for charitable donations in one year, but society doesn’t get the benefit of the money right away. MORE

Dec. 7, 2014

Dec. 4, 2014

Nobel laureate James D Watson, a pioneer in DNA science, will auction his prize medal and donate much of proceeds to educational institutions; move is part of Watson's effort to redeem himself after making offensive remarks about race in 2007 that tarnished his reputation. MORE

Dec. 1, 2014

Op-Ed article by nonprofit expert David Callahan examines proposed park along Manhattan's shoreline, conceived and largely financed by billionaire Barry Diller; notes park is only the latest example of how private funding has displaced a hollowed-out public sector in building and caring for public spaces; contends while philanthropy is welcome, power shift is part of a larger story about rising inequality and shrinking democracy. MORE

Nov. 29, 2014

Paul Sullivan Wealth Matters column discusses different methods that people can use for charitable giving that may be more convenient and more effective; says instead of writing personal checks, donor-advised funds or recurring monthly donations can be set up on a credit or debit card. MORE

Nov. 28, 2014

Agreement on part of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to pay Avery Fisher's descendants $15 million for permission to expunge his name from Philharmonic Hall is reminder that naming rights agreement granted in perpetuity do not, despite labeling, necessarily last forever. MORE

Nov. 27, 2014

Cheyne Capital is setting up a new fund to buy property that it will then rent to organizations that deliver services through the National Health Service. MORE

Nov. 25, 2014

Minnesota attorney general accuses Savers Thrift Stores of misappropriation of more than $1 million in donations that should have gone to charities affiliated with store; says both Savers and charities are at fault for wrongdoing, noting lack of oversight and commingling of funds. MORE

Nov. 22, 2014

Retiring column; intent of nonprofit Boomerang Giving, which has gone national, is to encourage older people in financial position to forgo their senior discounts to movies, transportation, restaurants and other outlets and donate savings to charities of their choice; group is only one of many ways seniors are finding to pool their money to give to charity. MORE

Nov. 16, 2014

Eureka column by Ian McGugan notes scientists and economists have studied phenomenal social media success of the ice-bucket challenge to raise millions of dollars for ALS research, as way to better understand psychology of altruism. MORE

Nov. 15, 2014

Pres Obama's decision to announce major changes to nation's immigration enforcement system is partly result of yearslong campaign of pressure by immigrant rights groups; groups have grown into national force due to major donations of hundreds of millions of dollars from some of the nation's wealthiest liberal foundations. MORE

Nov. 14, 2014

Lincoln Center, home of New York Philharmonic, is paying family of Avery Fisher $15 million for permission to relinquish their name on Avery Fisher Hall, and lure a large donor with promise of renovating and renaming the orchestra's home; unusual agreement speaks to draw of naming opportunities as staple tool for arts organizations. MORE

Nov. 11, 2014

Joe Sharkey On the Road column observes some airport donations help provide care packages to troops overseas, military families and veterans, while United Airlines offers an airfare discount--for $60 annual fee. MORE

Nov. 10, 2014

Glamour magazine will announce during its Women of the Year Awards dinner a collaboration with nonprofits to raise money for girls around the world to help them attend secondary school. MORE

Nov. 8, 2014

Judge Gerald E Rosen, appointed mediator in Detroit’s federal bankruptcy case, spent many months hashing out deal known as 'Grand Bargain' to save city from financial ruin; $816 million deal was made possible by large donations from some of nation's top philanthropic foundations, with promise of $350 million from State of Michigan and $100 million raised by Detroit Institute of Arts. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

Celebrities can be helpful in drawing attention to a charity, often attracting donations, but at times nonprofit organizations can harm their cause if they link themselves to a public figure with a tumultuous personal life or career, or with someone who turns out not to be very committed. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, organized by Marine Corps spouses, provides financial aid and lifetime support to ill, injured and wounded post 9/11 service members, offering rehabilitation through a variety of sports; the horsemanship program can be especially therapeutic as horses provide healing unconditional love. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

New Haven Farms, made up of seven community gardens in Fair Haven neighborhood of this Connecticut city, allows residents to grow and harvest their own crops; about 25 private and public organizations support New Haven Farms, which also offers communal dinners and lectures on nutritious eating and cooking. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

Most of the $300 billion per year in donations to nonprofits works out as intended but dozens of times a year something unexpected can get in the way; donors can lose interest or finances, or institutions can refuse a gift because of ethical misgivings about the donor. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

Agnes Gund usually donates some $6 million to $7 million a year through her Agnes Gund Foundation but also works tirelessly with host of New York City museums, galleries and philanthropic organizations that promote art. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

Environmentally-focused donors are increasingly examining institutions' portfolios to see if they contain fossil fuel companies, and are urging them to sell them before they donate; while movement of offering fossil-free portfolios is gathering momentum, critics argue that cost of divesting from such companies outweighs potential benefits. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

Ice Bucket Challenge helped raise about $115 million for the ALS Association over summer 2014, but social media marketing experts say fund-raising phenomenon would be hard to replicate. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

Charitable giving is making a comeback in the United States, five years after the Great Recession, up 3 percent in 2013 over previous year; donations topped $335 billion in 2013, nearing the peak from before the financial crisis. MORE

Nov. 1, 2014

Paul Sullivan Wealth Matters column notes Atlantic Philanthropies is planning on spending its last billion dollars in order to make good on its promise to give away all its money by 2016; says foundation wants to go out with a bang, unlike its early days, when it went to great lengths to ensure that recipients of its money did not know the identity of their benefactor. MORE

Oct. 21, 2014

Charitable giving to address Ebola tragedy is almost nonexistent, when compared to rush to donate after major disasters; relief agencies that typically seek donations after catastrophe are mostly silent, and are increasingly relying on large gifts from people like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. MORE

Oct. 21, 2014

Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center, tucked between Lincoln Center and a string of Upper West Side condominiums, has struggled financially, like many of New York's community centers; facing debt of $390,000 board, hired Mary B Mulvihill as executive director, who began to reach out to nearby co-op boards, businesses and religious institutions; center has raised $430,000 and has confidence in continued community support. MORE

Oct. 18, 2014

Arthur C Brooks Op-Ed article seeks to expand definition of 'helping industry' beyond its ordinary association with government, charity or health care; submits that Internet start-up Airbnb, which matches visitors in cities around the world with hosts, may qualify in that it helps both hosts and travelers financially, at zero cost to taxpayers; contends such services should be encouraged, and laments government crackdown that many have met instead. MORE

Oct. 11, 2014

Paul Sullivan Wealth Matters column offers insight into what to consider when thinking about donating to educational institutions, especially when contribution in question is significant. MORE

Oct. 7, 2014

Study released by Chronicle of Philanthropy finds that the share of income donated to charity by Americans who earned $200,000 or more decreased by 4.6 percent since 2006; those earning less than $100,000 gave 4.5 percent more of their income to charity. MORE

Oct. 6, 2014

Op-Ed article by Prof Ray D Madoff warns funding for charities from private foundations has remained largely stagnant despite increased need following recession and cuts to government funding; observes some $600 billion is sitting warehoused in private foundations, majority of which contributes only the 5 percent annually needed to fill nonprofit requirement; proposes new, clearer incentives that would encourage private organizations to maximize their giving. MORE

Sep. 21, 2014

Nicholas Kristof Op-Ed column describes singer Alicia Keys's decision to start We Are Here movement, which will channel her music and her fans to social justice causes; notes that Keys is trying to connect with fans who are frustrated about social inequities but feel helpless to make difference. MORE

Sep. 13, 2014

Paul Sullivan Wealth Matters column; wealthy Hispanic-Americans are slowly becoming more interested in philanthropic endeavors aimed at solving social problems in Latin American countries; attitude shift may stem from those who feel compelled to make situations better in countries that are plagued with issues and that have little of their own resources to spark change. MORE

Sep. 8, 2014

Thousands of people turn out for second annual family-friendly Electric Run at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn; nighttime event mixes music, alcohol and a zany three-mile charity run. MORE

Sep. 1, 2014

Marc Tracy On College Football column; Joe Rice, South Carolina alumnus who has donated about $5 million to university's athletic program, and other boosters could become essential following O'Bannon case ruling that players should be compensated for commercial use of their names, images and likenesses; school's athletic dept raised $36.7 million in 2013 from donations or their equivalent, out of total revenue of roughly $90 million. MORE

Aug. 24, 2014

Philanthropic ambitions of former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg have grown to a global scale as he pursues pledge to give away his $32.8 billion fortune before he dies; with programs in 95 countries, Bloomberg Philanthropies has set lofty objectives, like reducing smoking rates in tobacco-loving Turkey among several other initiatives. MORE

Aug. 22, 2014

Viral 'Ice Bucket Challenge' continues to dominate social media, and has now raised more than $40 million for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease; wide range of celebrities have participated in challenge, for which proceeds go to the ALS Assn. MORE

Aug. 21, 2014

Citymeals-on-Wheels, nonprofit food provider that feeds growing number of older New Yorkers, launches Guardian program which allows wealthy donors to feed entire neighborhoods, or even boroughs, of their choosing; organization relies primarily on private donations to supplement weekday meal service paid by city's Department of the Aging. MORE